“Yes,” Addison adds. “I’d love to help. I’m not too bad myself at sparkling things up.”
Witnessing the way Elijah and Addison gravitate toward each other, the burden of missing Jason is too heavy all of a sudden. I’m back in this place where everything is so familiar…except I’m no longer the same. My crutches of popularity and family and banal small talk are no longer options. And while I would never wish for those things back in lieu of my new foundation, I go back and forth between a place of strength and feeling like a lamb in the eye of a hurricane, ready to be swept off. Lord, I’m just so lonely without him.
“Well,” I say too loudly. “I’ve taken up enough of your time.” Taking a chance, I lean in and kiss Addison’s cheek. “I hope you know I wish nothing but the best of luck for you both.”
“Thank you. I…believe you.” Brows drawn together, Addison gives me a quick hug. “Dammit. I guess we have to see more of each other. It’s going to be awful.”
“The worst,” I return on a laugh.
My half-sister steps back and Elijah comes closer, giving me a polite kiss on the cheek, a brief hug. It’s the warm closure I wasn’t even aware I needed, but all I can think of the arms I crave having around me. The ones belonging to the man who knows me better than anyone.
“I know that look,” Addison murmurs to Elijah’s right, her gaze ticking toward the door and widening, turning thoughtful. “And I wonder if the gentleman who just walked in has anything to do with it.” Her lips twist in a teasing smile. “Am I crazy, Naomi? Or is he making it pretty obvious he’s here for you?”
It doesn’t even occur to me she could be talking about Jason. Maybe a tabloid reporter or an associate of my father’s preparing to deliver a rebuke disguised as a compliment. I’ve been on the receiving end of plenty of those in the last few weeks. Because of that, I almost don’t even turn around. Thank God I do, though. Thank God.
Just inside the double doors of the ballroom, Jason stands out like a bolt of lightning in an otherwise clear blue sky. My legs almost give out beneath me he’s so beautiful. Lord. Oh Lord. He’s wearing formal Army dress, the left side of his olive-green jacket decorated with colorful medals, hair combed back, beard trimmed. Gray eyes riveting. If possible, he’s even more of a gravitational pull than he is in a wetsuit or jeans. He’s just so much.
And he’s looking at me as if he’s just lost purchase and is sliding down the side of a cliff.
*
Deep down, I didn’t believe she’d go back to him. Here it is, though. Confirmation of my worst fears. A nightmare so much worse than the recurring ones I’ve had for years, happening right in front of me. I have no choice but to face this headfirst, though. I came here ready to fight for my life—Naomi—so bring it on.
The fact that she looks elegant on a level I’ve never witnessed up close…and that fucker Elijah looks like he belongs by her side…does not help. Whatsoever. It’s taking every ounce of restraint I possess not to storm forward and rip them further apart. She’s mine. The fact that everyone in this fucking room doesn’t know she’s mine is so offensive to me, I want to bellow until the chandeliers shake.
“Jason?” Naomi whispers, turning. “I-I…what are you doing here? I…”
Her whisper of my name is enough to halt the room’s motion and I vaguely notice heads turning our way, one by one. I don’t care about any of it. I’m too busy soaking up the sight of her as I walk closer, counting the seconds until I can smell her, run my eyes over her skin up close—to hell with the fact that she belongs to another man now. I know she’s mine. I know it.
When I get within reaching distance of her, I stop, the speech I practiced on my drive to Charleston forgotten. Completely lost in the presence of this woman I love beyond reason.
“You could have made it in Florida without me. You could have built a kingdom, ruled it and thrived. I was just the lucky son-of-a-bitch who opened the door and got to keep you for a while. You challenged me to be more. I’m more because of you, but I’m nothing—nothing—without you.” Emotion clogs my throat, but I continue anyway. “That’s what I should have said to you. That’s what you deserved to hear and I’m sorry my weak moment brought you down, baby. Brought us down.” My attention lands on Elijah and he raises an eyebrow at the probable hatred I’m sending him. “I’ve come to make her mine. You’re welcome to try and stop me.”